´You need to have a solid understanding of the business, otherwise you won’t be able to explain it.´

Gerbert has been part of the Zanders team since 2000. Initially as a student with a part-time job, then as a trainee, before finally setting to work as a consultant in 2002. ´I ended up at Zanders through a colleague whom I knew from high school,´ Gerbert explains. ´We also studied together in Amsterdam, which is how the ball got rolling.´ From the outset, Gerbert worked in the Financial Institutions department. This department primarily works for banks, asset managers, insurance companies and pension funds.

Different projectsGerbert’s graduation traineeship involved an assignment for a property developer that wanted to develop an asset management model for its real estate portfolio. This demand ties in extremely well with the assignments handled by Zanders in the area of treasury and (financial) risk management. By now, Gerbert has worked on a wide range of clients and projects.

Examples include projects in the area of balance sheet management, portfolio valuations, product pricing, interest rate and currency risk management, as well as economic capital calculations. He is currently responsible for the structuring of the treasury and market risk management processes and the accompanying systems of a medium-sized Dutch retail bank. According to Gerbert, knowing what you’re talking about is key in these assignments. ´As an adviser you need to have a solid understanding of the business, otherwise you won’t be able to explain it and to advise the client.´

Model for pension fundsIn addition, Gerbert is responsible for a risk model for pension funds, the so-called ‘Zanders Risk Dashboard’. This model analyzes the effects of the investment portfolio on a pension fund’s overall financial position and the relation between risk and returns for the medium range (1-5 years). Due to new legislation and regulations issued by the Dutch central bank (DNB), this subject is extremely topical. Gerbert says: ´We can handle a lot in-house, but for the pension funds sector we occasionally also work together with specialists such as actuaries.´

The futureGerbert has a clear picture of what future could be in store for Zanders, and specifically for the Financial Institutions department. ´Zanders will be considered the ‘best service provider’ within the entire risk management column of financial institutions. It will devote attention to the whole of Europe, with a special focus on the Dutch and Swiss markets.

Gerbert sums up the experience of working at Zanders as follows: ´The open, informal, and pleasant atmosphere makes you feel right at home.´ The level of education found within the firm also appeals to him: ´Everyone has enjoyed an academic education and since 2006, all new colleagues are required to follow the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program. The fact that you are working together for a variety of clients on a variety of projects, and that you can share the knowledge, rounds it all off.´